INSTRUCTIONS:Chop potato, sweet potato, carrots and zucchini and set aside. Dice onion, garlic and ginger and place in large stock pot with olive oil. Cook until softened, stirring to prevent from sticking. Add water to pot with bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients. Stir frequently over first ten minutes to prevent lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Makes 6 very large dinner servings or 12 small servings.

Perseverance:Steady persistence in a course of action....especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.

When I read this definition, I immediately think of three extremely dedicated runners I'm honoured to know. It fits them perfectly.

Rhonda: Over 20 days in August 2014, Rhonda ran the entire Bruce Trail end to end, which is 885 kilometers. Her next initiative is organizing an all trail winter ultra race.

Catherine: In 2015, Catherine represented Canada and won three gold medals on the track in the 100-metre and 200-metre run distances, and 4x400-metre relay. She has competed in many races around the world.

Graydon:_ Before he was even a teenager, Graydon was running races and competed in his first triathlon. This past summer, he was a torchbearer for the Toronto Pan Am Games.

I cannot even imagine accomplishing a triathlon, winning a gold medal in any race distance or tackling the entire Bruce Trail. In reading the short bios above, you'd never know that these three incredibly accomplished athletes are also defined by another term.​Disability: A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities.

Rhonda, Catherine and Graydon do not let this definition limit them. Instead, it seems to fuel them, to challenge them to not just succeed--but to exceed.

Every runner I know can benefit from some sort of help in reaching their goals. Whether it's a coach laying out a training schedule, a gym providing workout equipment and classes, or a friend to run with in the pre-dawn hours. Achilles Canada helps disabled athletes reach their goals as well. Achilles Canada is a non-profit organization that enables people with disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, promote personal achievement, enhance self esteem and lower barriers. Able-bodied Achilles volunteers encourage and support Achilles athletes during training and at races as guides.

On March 13, 2016, Achilles Canada will be holding their 17th annual St. Patrick's Day 5K in downtown Toronto, and I'm honoured to be an ambassador for the race. This is a popular race, not just because of the downtown scenic location, beer and chili, but because money raised goes to support the Achilles athletes in reaching their goals.

Sharing the same goal of crossing the finish line at the end of the race, barriers between the disabled and the able-bodied are broken down by the sheer joy and sense of achievement that participants share together.--Achilles Canada

Why did you start running? I started running to maintain my weight, get in a good workout and tire out my high-energy dog. Along the way I found an absolute passion for running. I wasn't a sporty kid, so being able to do something athletic as an adult made me proud. 'Runner' became a title I adopted with great pride.

In that first year, I immersed myself in all things running to learn more. Magazines, on-line articles and social media--which was jam-packed with a welcoming community of runners constantly talking about running, just like me!

Over the next two years I've learned something else that I think is incredibly important for all runners to remember.

New runners come across articles and posts by experts, elites and every day runners talking about speed, technique, distance, pace and races. We get lured in, thinking, okay, this is how to do this! While running tips, tricks and information can be great teaching tools and motivators, the 'how-to-be-the-best-runner-ever' advice can also lead runners down a slippery slope. We feel the pressure to push the envelope. To raise the bar. To be faster. Better. Best. And ultimately, this means every runner out there--with hugely varying abilities--is using the exact same gauge of success. With this only-the-best goal, we feel that we have to make excuses when we don't achieve a perfect performance. "Oh, I was injured." "I didn't fuel properly." "It was a really crowded course." Instead of feeling pride when crossing the finish line, we feel guilt.

This realization has helped teach me that my goals can be--and should be--different than those of my running friends. It's helped me look at the bigger running picture, my skills and to focus on what I want really to accomplish. I can choose to base my goals on the areas of running I'm best at, the parts that really challenge me or the parts that I simply enjoy the most.

Remember, we are all different, we shouldn't have to set our goals and measure our success with the same ruler!